Pressure accumulator



1960 J. MERCIER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR Original Filed Dec. 23, 1952 z W mfflo/w AM/ W5 r 1 91 ft; Wu 0% 7 w X 27, y 4 p M Z w 4 fi m EM *0 W w IMA United States Patent PRESSURE ACCUMULATGR Jean Mercier, New York, FLY.

Original application December 23, 1952, Serial No. 327,602, now PatentNo. 2,773,511, dated December 11, 1956. Divided and this application May3, 1956, Serial No. 582,535

Claims. (Cl. 13830) This invention relates to pressure accumulators,more particularly of the type formed by two juxtaposed shells with adeformable partition therebetween.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a pressureaccumulator of the above type that has but few parts which may readilybe fabricated from low cost materials and which may readily be assembledwith the use of but few simple tools securely to retain the periphery ofthe deformable partition therebetween in fixed position without use ofany special clamping means other than those required to hold theaccumulator shells together and in which the portion of the deformablepartition adjacent the rim thereof, which is clamped between the twoshells, will have substantially no sharp bending stress or strainimposed thereon which might cause weakening of the partition at suchregion with resultant tearing of the partition, regardless of the numberof times the partition is expanded and contracted due to charging anddischarging of the accumulator with continuous use.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by thearrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described andparticularly recited in the claims.

This application is a division of co-pending application-Serial No.327,602, filed December 23, 1952, now Patent No. 2,773,511, datedDecember 11, 1956.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the accumulator, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale ofanother embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the pressure accumulator desirablycomprises a pair of cup-shaped, substantially cylindro-spherical shells11 and 12 desirably having the same outer diameter, the shell 12preferably being of greater length than the shell 11. Each of the rims16, 17 of the shells 11 and 12 has an annular depression 18 thereinbetween which the enlarged periphery or rim 19 of a deformable partition21 may be positioned.

The partition 21 which desirably is of rubber, natural or synthetic,preferably is a circular disc of diameter considerably greater than theinner diameter of the shells 11 and 12 and has an axial opening 22therethrough. The rims 16, 17 of the shells are desirably clampedagainst the enlarged periphery 19 of the partition 21 by means of acentral rod 23 which extends longitudinally through the juxtaposedshells 11 and 12, through axial opening 22 in partition 21 and throughaxial openings 24 and 25 at the ends of the shells respectively. Theprotruding ends 26 nad 27 of the rod 23 are desirably threaded as at 28so that they may receive a nut 29, which when screwed upon such threadedends and tightened will move the shells 11 and 12 together so that therims 16, 17 thereof will press tightly against the enlarged rim 19,securely retaining the latter in place and providing a dependable sealbetween such rim portions of the shell.

The periphery of opening 22 in partition 21 is securely retained againstthe central rod 23 as by means of a suitable clamp 31. The dimensions ofthe partition 21 and the position at which the periphery of opening 22thereof is clamped to the rod 23 are so selected that as shown in Fig.l, the partition will hang downwardly in shell 12 to define a bladderthat is substantially conical in cross section, the distance of theouter surface 32' of the partition from the inner wall of the shellprogressively increasing from the enlarged rim 19 thereof to thereversely bent bottom 32 thereof.

Means are desirably provided to charge the chamber 33 of the accumulatoron one side of the partition 21 with gas, for example, and the chamber34 on the other side of the partition 21 with a liquid such as oil. Forthis purpose each of the ends 26, 27 of the central rod 23 desirably hasa longitudinal bore 35, 36 therein defining a gas and oil portrespectively, and a transverse bore 37, 38 leads from such longitudinalbore into the accumulator. Thus, a gas under pressure may be forcedthrough bores 35 and 37 into the accumulator chamber 33 on one side ofthe partition and a liquid such as oil may be forced through the bores36 and 38 into the accumulator chamber 34 on the other side of thepartition. As the valve means controlling the gas inlet port 35 and theoil port 36 are conventional they will not be shown.

In the operation of the accumulator shown in Fig. 1, A

gas under pressure is initially charged into the accumulator throughport 35 and such port is thereupon sealed. Oil under pressure greaterthan that in the gas chamber 33 is forced through oil port 36 intoliquid chamber 34. As the result, the partition 21 will be deformed andthe gasin the chamber 33 will be compressed.

When the oil port 36 is opened in use of the accumulator the compressedgas in chamber 33 will cause the partition 21 to move outwardly therebyforcing oil through bores 38 and 36. As the partition 21 expands, theportion of the outer wall 32' thereof closest to theinner wall of shell12 will first contact such shell and as more and more oil is forced fromthe accumulator, the wall of the partition will progressively engagesuch shell.

As a result, no oil pocket will be formed between the partition and thewall of the container and substantially all of the fluid in thecontainer will be forced out therefrom. As the operation of the conicalbladder above described is set forth in detail in Reissue Patent No.23,437, dated December 4, 1951, it will not be further described. a

The partition 21 is also desirably supported near the clamped rimthereof in such manner that regardless of the number of times thepartition is expanded and con- Patented Jan. 5, 1960 tracted duringcharging and discharging of the accumulator, no sharp bending stresswill be imparted to such clamped rim with the disadvantages previouslypointed out. To this end, an annular supporting member 41 is desirablymolded into the thickened rim l9 and adjacent wall portion of thepartition 21. The supporting member 41 desirably is of resilient sheetmaterial such as metal or suitable plastic and is substantially L-shapedin cross section. One leg 42 of the supporting member extends laterallyinto the thickened rim l9 and the other leg 43 extends downwardly intothe wall portion of partition 21 adjacent rim Desirably the junctionbetween legs 42 and 43 is rounded as at 4 1 to eliminate a sharp edge.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 which is identical in many respects tothe embodiment of Fig. 1, parts corresponding to those in Fig. 1 willhave the same reference numerals primed.

In this embodiment tie rim Sll of shell 12 desirably has an outerdiameter less than the inner diameter of the rim 52 of shell 11 so thatit may readily fit therein. The enlarged rim 53 of partition 21 which issimilar to partition 21 shown in Fig. l, desirably has a reversely bentannular retaining member 54- associated therewith, said retaining memberin cross section having an inner and outer leg 55 and 56 respectivelyextending substantially parallel to each other and an annular lip 57extending laterally outward from the end of said outer leg 56. The innerleg 55 of said retaining member is molded into the rim of the partitionin such manner that the inner surface of such inner leg 55 has a layer58 of resilient material thereon which extends to the reversely bentedge 59 of said retaining member. The layer of resilient material alsoextends over the outer surface of said leg 55 as well as over thereversely bent edge h thereof and over the outer surface of outer leg 56to the laterally projecting lip 57.

In assembling the accumulator, shown in Fig. 2, the rim 51 of shell 12is positioned against the reversely bent edge 59 of retaining member 54between the resilient material 58 of the partition and the inner surfaceof leg 56. The rim 52 of the shell 11 will seat on the laterallyextending lip 57 with the inner surface of such shell against theresilient material on the outer surface of leg 56. Thus, when the twoshells l2 and 11' are pressed together by the tightening of the nuts(not shown) at each end of the central rod 23 (similar to that shown inFig. l) the rims of the shells will be against a rigid metal supporti.e., reversely bent edge 59 and lip 57 and the resilient materialassociated with the rims of the shells will provide a liquid and airtight seal which will prevent leakage from the accumulator. Desirably,the Wall of shell 12' flares outwardly as shown and the wall ofpartition 21 defines a substantially cylindrical bladder, whichconstruction will also cause progressive engagement of the partitionwith the shell to insure complete expulsion of oil from the accumulatorand avoidance of any oil pockets therein.

It is of course to be understood that the shell 12 of Fig. 2 could becylindrical and the partition 21 conical to provide progressiveengagement of the partition with the associated shell.

With the construction above described, a simple yet highly eflicientpressure accumulator is provided which is capable of continuous use forlong periods of time without breakdown of the deformable partitiontherein.

By reason of supporting members 4-1 and 5 the adjacent portions of theassociated partition will be restrained from any sharp bends regardlessof the number of times the partition is expanded and contracted.Consequently, there is no likelihood of tearing of such bladder.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from thescope of the claims, "it"is intended'thntallmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pressure vessel comprising a plurality of members defining acontainer when in juxtaposition, said container having at least twoadjacent rims, and the portions of said members at the ends of thecontainer each having an opening axially aligned with said container, aflexible partition positioned in said container and having an axialopening therethrough, means on the outer periphery of said partitionpositioned between said adjacent rims, a rod extending through the axialopening in said partition and through the openings in the portion ofsaid members at the ends of the container and protruding from thelatter, means on the protruding ends of said rod to retain said adjacentrims in juxtaposition to clamp the outer periphery of the partitiontherebetween, a flexible supporting member afiixed to said partition atthe clamped periphery thereof to limit the bending of the portion ofsaid partition adjacent said periphery, means securely to retain theperiphery of the axial opening in said partition against said rod, andfluid ports leading into said pressure vessel to charge the latter. I

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the flexible supportingmember is an annulus, substantially L-shaped in cross section forming apair of legs, said supporting member being molded into said partitionwith one of the legs extending laterally into the periphery thereof andthe other leg extending along the wall of said partition near theclamped portion thereof to retain the portion of said partition adjacentits periphery spaced from the rims when the partition is expanded andcontracted during use of the accumulator, thereby limiting the bendingof the portion of the partition adjacent its periphery.

3. A pressure accumulator comprising a pair of substantially cup-shapedshells each having an axial opening through the end thereof, thediameter of the rim of one of said shells being greater than thediameter of the rim of the other of said shells so that it may encompassthe latter, a flexible partition having an axial opening therethrough, areversely bent annular supporting member having an inner and outer legextending substantially parallel to each other and an annular lipextending laterally outward from the end of said outer leg, the innerleg of said retaining member being embedded in the outer periphery ofsaid partition, the resilient material of the latter on the inner sideof said inner leg extending to the reversely bent edge thereof, saidresilient material extending over the entire outer surface of saidretaining member to the annular lip, the rim of the smaller diametershell being positioned between the inner and outer legs and the rim ofthe larger diameter shell encompassing said legs and being seated onsaid annular lip, a rod extending through the axial opening in saidpartition and through the openings in said shell and protruding from theiatter, means on the protruding ends of said rod to move the shellstowards each other'so that the rims thereof will be forced against thereversely bent edge of the retaining member and said annular lip, meanssecurely to retain the periphery of the partition against said rod and agas and liquid port leading into said accumulator for charging thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a flexible, extensible partition havinga circular peripheral edge and an annular member of resilient sheetmaterial having "a portion thereof embedded in said partition adjacentthe peripheral edge thereof.

5. As an article of manufacture a flexible partition of resilientmaterial having a circular periphery, an annulat supporting member offlexible material, reversely bent in cross section having an inner andouter leg extending substantially parallel to each other and an annularlip extending laterally outward from the end of said outer leg, theinner leg of said supporting member being embedded in the periphery ofsaid partition, the resilient material of the latter on the inner sideof said inner leg extending to the reversely bent edge thereof, saidresilient material extending over the entire outer surface of saidsupporting member to the annular lip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSMercier Apr. 27, 1943 Downey Dec. 12, 1944 Lippincott Mar. 20, 1945Overbeke Feb. 5, 1946 Fitch Aug. 9, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec.22, 1921

